Improved apparatus for arranging and conveying screw-blanks



A'UNITED STATES PATENT FFICE.

ELIJAH S. PIERCE, OF HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO NATIONAL SCREV COIWIPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR ARRANGING. AND CONVEYING SCREW-BLANKS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 88,901, dated April 13, 1869. n

To all whom it may concern:

Beit known that I, ELIJAH S. PIERCE, of Hartford, in the county of Hartford and State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Apparatus for AArranging and Conveying Screw-Blanks; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, whereby a person skilled in the art can make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon.

' Like letters in the figures indicate the same parts.

Figure l is a top view of my improved ap paratus. Fig. 2 is a side view or elevation of the same. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section through the middle, showing the interior arrangement.

The object of my invention is to arrange screw-blanks or other similar articles, and convey them to a machine where some operation is to be performed upon them, in a more uniform and regular manner than has heretofore been done by the machines in common use.

A is the hopper, which is conveniently made of a semi-cylindrical form, with the part forming the bottom slightly inclined toward thev middle. In the middle, around the curved lower surface of the hopper, there is a groove, c a, of sufficient width to admit the shanks of the blanks which are to be arranged, but not their heads. This groove is open through the whole length of the hopper, and divides it into two parts, which are connected and supported by the clips b b. The bottom of the groove can also be made entirely inclosed by the material of the hopper; but the open groove is preferred to allow all dirt and chips to escape.

At one end of the hopper the groove a c bends over in acurve, as shown at c in the drawings, and continues on between the conveying-ways, E E, which are inclined downward at a sufficient angle to allow the blanks to slide -alon g them supported by their heads.

The hopper A is firmly attached to the frame B, or to any part of the frame of a machine, and is in one piece with or united to the conveying-ways E E.

C C are revolving arms or sweeps, of which there may be any desired number, attached to the axis D in such a manner that by turning the axis the ends of the arms pass through the groove a a in sucha manner as to push forward any blanks that may be resting by their heads in the groove. The ends of the arms are made curved, s0 as to assist in pushing the blanks as they pass over the summit c, and delivering them onto the inclined ways E.

F is a shield, to prevent any blanks which may be irregularly placed from passing onto the conveying-ways. This shield may be made to yield under the influence of a spring to prevent a misplaced blank stopping or vbreaking the apparatus.

The operation of my invention is as follows: The blanks are placed indiscriminately in the hopper A. Some of them will fall into the groove a a and rest by .their heads. The arms C, passing around through the blanks, push forward such as fall into the groove a, and pass them over the summit-curve c to the conveying-ways, as shown in Figs. l and 3. The passage of the arm or sweep through the mass of blanks in the hopper stirs them up, so that more blanks fall into the groove a, behind it, which are pushed forward by the passage of the next sweep. The arms may have a slow continuous circular motion given them, or have a reciprocating intermittent motion forward and back, in which the forward n10- tion is greater than the backward, so that the arm will have a progressive movement forward. This more effectually stirs up the blanks, and causes a greater number to be delivered onto the conveying-ways. The forward motion of the arm can also be made by a spring, so that :it will stop if the apparatus becomes clogged.

Claims.

NVhat I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

l. An improved mechanism for arranging 2. Also, the combination ofthe hopper A, and conveying screw-blanks or other similar the arm C, the conducting-Ways E, and the articles, consisting ofahopperhaving a groove shield F, arranged substantially as herein dein its bottom, through which pass one or scribed.

more arms or sweeps, to push forward the ar- ELIJAH S. PIERCE. ranged blanks along the groove to the convey- Witnesses: ing-Ways, and also to cause them to fall into EZRA CLARK, Jr.,

the groove, substantially asherein described. THEO. G. ELLIS. A 

